When I went to Canoe Bay, I admit, I fell in Love. Star-Tribune

The perfect couples getaway

Magical

Tradition, Beauty, Wellness

Meet Canoe Bay

The perfect place to Relax, Recharge and Reconnect

A Little Piece of Heaven!

A "Magical Experience," that's what so many guests and reviewers say about Canoe Bay. Our family discovered this hidden gem over a century ago and our wish is to share this amazing place with you. Guests have discovered that the magic of Canoe Bay includes the delicious food, abundant wildlife, inherent romance, and most importantly, our wonderful and attentivestaff.

As for things to do, the list is endless. Canoe Bay is specially designed for adult couples (no children allowed) so it’s perfect for honeymoons, birthdays and anniversaries. But just living in this day and age is challenging, so when you need a few days to escape the realities that crowd all our lives, we hope you'll think of Canoe Bay as your place, too. Book Now

Canoe Bay is the Perfect Secluded Getaway!

On-Line Concierge

For basic questions or info, please call 715.924.4594 x3. If you are confused or want an opinion on which accommodation is best for you, just email escape@canoebay.com for our on-line concierge and you'll receive answers straight and to the point. Expect strong opinions but plenty of help. The Concierge knows all BUT is at Canoe Bay and does sleep...this is not one of those outsourced, overseas deals.

Simply Beautiful

Lodging

Great Choices

Voted Best in the Midwest...thank you!

The Big Picture

Canoe Bay is 300 very private acres of beautiful hardwood forest and three spring-fed, glacially carved lakes—perfect for everything from romantic holidays to wilderness getaways. Comprising 27 guest accommodations in some 20 structures, each room and cottage is designed for just two adults, offering unsurpassed comfort and relaxation.

Cottages provide more living space and a wet bar including Keurig coffee maker. Special options like heated bathroom floors, carport, steam shower, private sauna, even an elliptical trainer are available in select units. Add in the incredible lake views...and let the magic happen!

On-Line Concierge

For basic questions or info, please call 715.924.4594 x3. If you want an opinion on which accommodation is best for you, just email escape@canoebay.com for our on-line concierge and you'll receive answers straight and to the point. Expect strong opinions but plenty of help. The Concierge knows all BUT is at Canoe Bay and does sleep...this is not one of those outsourced, overseas deals.

Now about Kids...and other Policies

Continental Room Service Breakfast is FREE

Resort fees? No.Tipping? No.Water? Free.

Adults are people too and deserve a place of their own, so no children at Canoe Bay. Also no pets, sorry. And no smoking—that's actually state law. Rates are per night, not including 5½% sales tax. A 50% deposit (minimum 1 night) is collected when you reserve, and the cancellation policy is 3 weeks. With more than 3 weeks' notice of cancellation, your deposit is refunded, less a $50 admin fee. If you must cancel short-term, we'll carry your deposit forward to new dates. Check-in time is 3p (Central), Check-out is 11a.

In lieu of gratuities, a 20% food & beverage service charge (on all meals) is added to your final invoice. And that's it for any additional charges. Canoe Bay's policy is "no tipping." And as for Resort Fees: life is tough enough so there are none. Even our bottled drinking water is free. (Don't you hate that $6 "courtesy" bottle of water in hotel rooms?)

The Lodge

Four Cozy Rooms — $250 and $415 / night

Gi-normous Library, with loft! + Fitness Center

Fireplace Rooms: Cozy (300 sq.ft.) with all the standard features (see above) [There is also one Fireplace Room at The Inn]

Fresh, Local and Delicious

Food & Wine

We Grow It

Healthy Ingredients from our Garden and Local Farms to the Table

Canoe Bay Gardens

We admit it....we love fresh produce from the garden. Our garden is actually multiple acres and includes raised vegetable and flower beds plus assorted fruit trees. We highly recommend a walking tour as part of your visit.

Breakfast and Lunch

Continental breakfast is free and delivered to you!

A Tradition with a Twist

We believe you should not be troubled in the morning so we always deliver breakfast. A continental breakfast is included with the nightly rate and additional hot items are available. Cool Twist: A local Mennonite woodworker designed a custom breakfast delivery box for your breakfast. Lunch is available daily and is also delivered. The only meal served in the dining room is Dinner. You are here to relax so we don't want to trouble you....just enjoy!

Dinner

The Chef is fantastic

We can accommodate most food preferences...Please do ask!

The glass-enclosed lakeside dining room is amazing. Dinner, priced at $75/person, is a multi-course menu that changes daily* based on the freshest ingredients we can forage. Check out sample menus. The award-winning wine list has been tailored to match the food...see more below. Dining Room Dress Code: Smart Casual. Sport coat for gentlemen appropriate, but not required. In a word: be comfortable and respectful. So please no shorts, athletic wear, faded or ripped jeans, or flip-flops in the restaurant.

*The restaurant is closed and dinner is not offered on Tuesdays year-'round, and also on Wednesdays from November through April, EXCEPT the Tuesday and Wednesday between Christmas and New Year's Day, when the restaurant will be open and serving dinner.

Cool Dining Options

Literally thousands of bottles surround you

Sit in a wine lover's paradise

For that extra-special experience, try the Wine Cellar table ($120/person). Not only the ultimate in privacy—a table-for-two in our beautiful redwood wine cellar—but also extra courses and wine just for you! The Wine Cellar Table is very popular so try to book well in advance.

Eat right in the Kitchen

Chef's Table is the hottest seat in the house

Behind the scenes and full of surprises

If you are the adventurous type, looking for that special, fun evening, this is definitely your spot. The very popular Chef's Table ($99/person) with its custom-made booth and large reclaimed wood dining table is perfect for that unique dining experience that includes not only the nightly Menu but other goodies from the chef as well.

Note that in summer it can be a bit warm as this is a working kitchen so feel free to dress appropriately and simply enjoy. We recommend asking the sommelier for wine pairings and don't be afraid to ask plenty of questions.

Wine List

So many great choices, so little time.

Our sommelier focuses on helping guests discover the ideal wine with our dinners. Wines, champagnes and beer may also be delivered to your cottage, perhaps with Lunch or a Cheese Board.

Note: The State of Wisconsin prohibits carry-in alcoholic beverages in restaurants. We do not serve hard liquors.

Click on images for bigger views...and notes.

Accommodations

So many beautiful choices! Just hover &/or click on image you love for more information.

Maps

Easy to find and incredible when you arrive

Property Map

Canoe Bay ® comprises 27 guest accommodations in some 20 structures, widely spaced about a picturesque, spring-fed, and secluded lake. Our 300-acre forested country estate is only 10 miles from a 4-lane highway, and from the nearest town (Chetek, WI). Designed especially for couples, you'll find our Rooms and Cottages are all very comfortable...and very private. Every necessity has been provided, and—we hope—most every luxury too.

Location

So close yet such a getaway

Canoe Bay ® hotel is a 300-acre country estate with three private, spring-fed lakes, located in northwestern Wisconsin, off of U.S. Hwy. 53, just outside the town of Chetek. Driving time is two hours (east) of Minneapolis, six hours (northwest) of Chicago, one hour (north) of Eau Claire. Major interstate highways bring you to within 10 miles of our driveway. For those last 10 miles YOU WILL DEFINITELY WANT TO BRING ALONG OUR WRITTEN DIRECTIONS*. If you use only GPS, you will get lost, burn a lot of extra fuel, and we may still not be able to find you! Bring those directions, please.

GETTING HEREMpls/St.Paul International Airport is just a 2-hour drive (120 miles). For guests connecting in Chicago, United Airlines now offers a thrice-daily non-stop from O’Hare to Eau Claire Airport, just an hour from us. Private planes should head to the Rice Lake Airport (20 minutes away), where rental cars are available. www.ricelakeair.com

So Much You Can Do

Love the outdoors? This is Paradise

In Winter there's snowshoeing right on the property plus cross country and downhill skiing, walking and hiking and you can even try your hand at Ice Fishing. Or maybe just a massage.

The list of summertime activities is nearly endless. Hiking, running or walking on miles of endless trails, canoeing, swimming, lounging by the lake, fishing, biking, walking in the gardens and past the fruit trees. Yes there is a fitness center on property. Golfing is right nearby, and area fishing guides are available. Everyone should check out the amazing wildlife.

Love the indoors? This is Heaven

The Greatest Gift of All: True Calm

Visit the amazing library—it resembles a bookstore. Work out in the fitness room which includes treadmills and elliptical trainers, plus a multi-stack weight system and recumbent bike all located on the second floor of the Lodge. Watch a great movie from the huge DVD collection. Cruise the web if you must, yes we have DSL WiFi—cable TV, too. Every unit has a big Jacuzzi tub; several offer a large Finnish sauna, &/or steam shower, even some with personal fitness equipment! You can't help but notice the astonishing views and the amazing wildlife...and before you know it, you've decompressed from all the commotion that crowds our everyday lives. Number one guest comment: We never knew how much we needed to simply relax and unwind in peace.

Experiences

In-Room Massage; Off-Site Carriage Rides

Set up an in-room Relaxation Massage* with a licensed therapist who will come right to your Canoe Bay accommodation! Be sure to make arrangements in advance of your stay through our approved vendor:Jessica Murry–Owner, Gentry Massage, 715-651-6960 (voice or text), info@gentrymassage.com. Or visit: www.gentrymassage.com

* NOTE: Concurrent appointments (aka "Couples Massage"), when available, are only possible in Cottages and the Heavenly Suite.

You can arrange for a singularly romantic outing: an hour-long Horse-drawn Sleigh Ride or Horse-drawn Carriage Ride in the country, starting from Lost Creek Ranch. (Always weather-dependent.) Please contact Patti at the Ranch directly: 641-583-3930 (voice or text) to arrange all the details.

Golf

Sioux Creek, a 9-hole golf course running along a river is just 1.5 mile west of Chetek (a 20 minute drive). (www.siouxcreekgolf.com)

We're here to Talk and Help

We hate when places don't answer e-mail quick...let us know if we do OK for you!

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Snail Mail works, too:

P.O. Box 28, Chetek, WI 54728

Kinda Fun

WHO WE ARE

Dan & Lisa Dobrowolski

Founders

We love people and designed Canoe Bay to give couples the perfect getaway. Having lived the high pressure life in Chicago, we "get it." Welcome to restoration.

Katie Daubner

General Manager

Canoe Bay captivated me by the sublety of its natural beauty, and by the smiles— they're contagious! It's true: we are here to serve you.

John Nissen

Chief Gardener

Hello. I was born in Denmark and have been a professional gardener my entire life. Plants and I have a special relationship...stop and see me; we'll talk shop!

TRADITION

A Century of Magic

Fenceposts made of Sausage

Stan and Mary with chubby little Dan

Just over a century ago, Dan’s grandfather, Stan, was floating logs down the Danube River in eastern Europe when he heard that in America the fence posts were made of sausage! Not exactly the streets are paved with gold, but for a dirt poor man, the mere thought of sausage fence posts was enough to get him on a ship for America.Not many years later, Stan and his wife Mary settled immediately to the east of Canoe Bay. Their family grew to include 10 children on a small farm, and life was tough. The lake and wildlife of Canoe Bay were critical to the family’s survival, providing fish, berries, and game throughout the year. While they did not own Canoe Bay, they loved and cared for it.

7th Son

That's George

The seventh of Stan & Mary’s children was George, Dan’s father. One of Dan’s earliest memories is fishing with his father and uncle at Canoe Bay, when—for the first and only time in his life—he actually caught a turtle!

In the 1960’s, a church group acquired Canoe Bay and developed a summer camp. Several of those camp buildings serve Canoe Bay guests today—among them the Inn, and the Lodge. While each has been completely remodeled (more than once!), the structures’ original, massive beams and fireplaces remain intact.

In the 1980’s the church group relocated their camp operations to southeast Wisconsin, and in 1991, Dan’s father brought to our attention that this very special place was for sale.

Full Circle

Dan returns to his roots

Maybe the fence posts really are made of sausage

Truth be told, we did not plan for Canoe Bay to be what it is today. As with many things in life, Kismet was involved. After buying the property with the sentimental goal of preserving a family treasure, we decided to give up our hectic careers in Chicago and move here to share this incredible place with guests whose over-stressed lifestyles we knew so well. Over the years, George spent many a day here visiting with guests and occasionally fishing with Dan on the lake where he'd spent his boyhood. Though George passed away in 2012, memories of him will forever be tied to this special place. And now Dan’s mother, Frannie, stops by for a visit every day, usually at dinner time.

So the legacy of over a century of loving Canoe Bay lives on and we are glad we can share it with you.

Meetings

We're the perfect location for special business gatherings

Private and Inspiring

Business Groups up to 20 people

Beautiful Conference Room

We offer an incredible executive business retreat facility in a great setting with extraordinary accommodations that guarantee your meeting will be highly anticipated, well attended, and long remembered. Our peaceful and inspirational atmosphere encourages productivity, while the luxurious accommodations and outstanding food convey your appreciation to your most valued colleagues. Sited on a crystal clear private lake, we’re just 10 miles off a major U.S. highway, 20 minutes from a private airstrip, and two hours from Minneapolis International Airport.

On-Line Concierge

For basic questions or info, please call 715.924.4594 x3. If you want an opinion on which accommodation is best for you, just email escape@canoebay.com for our on-line concierge and you'll receive answers straight and to the point. Expect strong opinions but plenty of help.

The Concierge knows all BUT is at Canoe Bay and does sleep...this is not one of the those outsourced, overseas deals.

On-Line Concierge Form

For Basic questions, please call 715.924.4594 x3. If you are confused or need guidance or an opinion, the Concierge will respond as soon as possible!

Great Job Opportunities

We are always looking for dedicated people who love serving others and want to live and work in paradise. Just fill out the form below and let us know your story. Please include a phone number to be considered. Thanks!